When I was young, and was watching cartoon, there has always been that situation, when the character is about to do something (good or bad), and suddenly they an angel and a devil would appear on each of her shoulder and where each would advise on their own preference…

In many points in our life we may face some situations (let’s call them opportunities for now) where we need to take a decision to seize the moment and go for it or stop our selves from taking another step. Whether you prefer to visualize the small angel and demon talking to you or not… Each of us have some sort of an internal mechanism… You can call it whatever you want (Habits, Instincts, Values, Beliefs, Cultures… etc) but at the end, it’s what drives you to take the next step or not.

“Our minds sometimes see what our hearts wish were true.” 

Dan Brown, Angels & Demons

This week’s tip is about getting to know the Angel & Demon of yours, and how to make sure you don’t have to deal with them at the wrong time. (At least not without knowing them)

The reason this is important is because you would want to get to know yourself better and to have more control over your actions rather than making other uncontrollable factors making you take a decision when you are more vulnerable than your normal 100%.

According to research, if you get under stress and let’s say you are in a fear from something, your brain will shut down some of the functionality and will give over the control to “habit”, so you would do whatever you are used to always do; I guess it’s something that has to do with the evolution of the old man being chased by lions and stuff… So if you were pushed under pressure and your logic got stuck and the auto-pilot took over and you don’t have any time to try out something new, but had to apply “what you always did”… What would that be? and will the Angel take control or will it be the Demon?

You may be in a crisis situation, a relationship “situation”, or just by random. How do would you trigger your Angel Auto-pilot or your Demon Auto-pilot to come out for a small chat?

Well it’s not as simple as it may sound, however, and luckily for you, the source of the wiring our brains are pretty much the same Fundamentally. So Whether the source of stress is actually a lion chasing you, or late bills chasing you; Or the source of Opportunity is a Burger King’s Whooper or a long term Investment… The chemicals in your head would almost act the same. And with high chances that the Angel / Demon would use the same logic on your behalf and you would act the same…

So for this week, try to get to know more about YOU by rehearsing some fake situations or fictional scenarios such as imagining that you were seduced by someone else’s partner while you are married… How would you react? or watch a movie and see if you were in a situation of the bad guy… How would you act?

It’s a funny exercise that you will get better at it with time… and the more you rehearse it… and once you get to know your angel and demon more… You can then TRAIN THEM to act in a specific way rather than relying on what would happen by chance.

Have a great week,
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Samer Chidiac is a Strategic Innovation Advisor, a Business Psychologist, a Philanthropist, an Author and a Speaker. 

You can check his Books on Amazon & Sellfy, Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and check his Website for More.